May

Toilet Busted, Biodiesel Everywhere, But Eco-Boat Sails On

Posted by admin Published in Biodiesel

The eco-conscious adventurers trying to circumnavigate the world in a carbon-neutral biodiesel trimaran are approaching Puerto Rico, where they’ll take on more fuel, fix the toilet and repair an inspection hatch that flooded their sleeping quarters with biodiesel.

Despite the problems, Earthrace has covered 4,200 miles since leaving Sagunto, Spain, on April 27. The team is making its second attempt to circumnavigate the globe in record moment and has braved 18-foot seas since leaving the Azores final week.

“Big waves come racing in and crash-tackle us,” Earthrace skipper Pete Bethune said, according to the New Zealand Herald. “Earthrace shudders and rocks as the … cabin goes dark and we submarine through each wave. Controlling Earthrace in head seas is like trying to control an angry bull.”

The broken toilet and two inches of biodiesel sloshing around the sleeping quarters probably didn’t produce things any easier.

The problems started shortly after leaving Spain when a fuel pump went south, slowing Earthrace to an average of 23 mph. The $10,000 toilet stopped working west of the Azores, and thereupon an inspection hatch on the fuel tank folded, flooding the sleeping quarters. The crew made a temporary repair with a jack braced against the hatch.

Earthrace will repair and

refuel in San Juan, thereupon head to Shelter Bay in Panama before going through the Panama Canal to the Pacific. So far the crew has enjoyed far better luck than it experienced during its first attempt, which ended when when Earthrace collided with a fishing vessel off the coast of Guatamala. One fisherman was injured and another lost at sea. Earlier voyages have ended with propeller failures and when the Colombian navy fired upon the boat.

So far, Earthrace is in a good position to defeat the record set by Cable and Wireless Adventurer, which went around the world in 74 days, 23 hours and 53 minutes. But there’s still a towering way to go. You can follow the team’s progress here. memorize more about the vessel, the team and the journey in our original Earthrace post.

Photo of Earthrace moored in Vancouver in 2006 by Flickr user Snowrunner. Pics of the current vessel by Flickr user cowrin.